Can I See the World with a Hospitality Degree?

Can I See the World with a Hospitality Degree?Penny2015-07-08T10:22:32-07:00

A degree in hospitality offers many benefits, including opportunities to see the world and work in a variety of positions. With a background in hospitality, graduates have career opportunities working in everything from event planning to management of hotels or venues, and these opportunities can be pursued in every country.

Hospitality Degree Curriculum Overview

An undergraduate degree in the hospitality field enables graduates to gain skill and knowledge in communication, finance, and factors that influence tourism. Additionally, a large portion of a hospitality degree is focused on various areas of management such as human resources and strategic decision making in order to gain the requisite abilities to pursue diverse career opportunities.

After completing general education requirements, including courses such as professional business writing and interpersonal communication, undergraduate students will complete course work in the hospitality major such as hospitality ethics, legal topics in hospitality, hospitality management systems, hospitality and global issues, marketing for tourism, the tourism and hospitality business, and tourism and leisure for diverse society.

Specializations in a Hospitality Degree Program

Many degree programs also offer opportunities for further concentration in one specific area of hospitality management. Common examples include event planning and leadership, food and beverage management, hospitality operations, and destination management. Students gain specific skills in areas such as revenue management, sustainable event planning, destination planning and development, event space design and facilities management to tailor a degree to goals and aspirations. Many are also likely to offer courses helpful in developing skills for international careers such as introduction to global hospitality management.

Global Hospitality Concentration and Degree Options

In addition to other specializations, many higher education institutions also offer undergraduate degree, concentrations, and graduate degree options in global or international hospitality. These options are likely to include classes such as cultural studies in tourism and hospitality, international banquet operations, global economics, international organizational behaviors, gastronomy of European and Asian countries, and leadership of international teams.

In addition to course work, these specializations and concentrations often also offer students the opportunity to complete internships and observation study within international hospitality organizations such as hotels, concert venues, and tour organizations. Other possibilities for gaining more hands-on experience include options to complete course work and other study abroad. Students might study in Europe, Australia, Asia, Africa, South America, or other North American countries in order to gain more experience in putting the knowledge and concepts learned in classwork into action in a global environment.

Professional certifications can also be helpful for illustrating advanced knowledge in areas of global hospitality professions, such as the Global Travel Professional designation. Additional information on this certification and other educational opportunities can be found at the Global Business Travel Association.

Opportunities with a Hospitality Degree

A hospitality degree is beneficial for learning how to manage all types of businesses and organizations. Many graduates pursue positions in hotels, restaurants, resorts, cruise ships, and tourism destinations such as theme parks, historical destinations, and tour guide sites around the world. Additional options include positions such as food writer and travel agent.

With the combination of knowledge gained from the study of business and the skills developed for working within the hospitality field in global organizations, a degree in hospitality can open up opportunities to see the world.